The fifth teaching session in our Summer series based on James 2.

“As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.”

Faith is evident in the effect that it has on us and the effect we have on others, in response to God, no matter how hard or how costly.

How are we as a people of God responding to Him and reaching out to others?

What is the step of Faith that he is calling us to in this season?

Church on Mission 5 by Joshua Skeat, January 29, 2012

The fourth sermon in our Summer series, looking at Acts 10.

We are called to not only live as children of the light but also to proclaim the good news. It is not up to us to determine who should receive the gospel. Instead we need to allow God to show us how and to whom he is calling us to proclaim his kingdom and his love.

Church on Mission 4 by Joshua Skeat, January 22, 2012

During summer, KLT (Kids’ Learning Time) continues to offer activities which cater for primary and pre-school aged children as part of the regular Sunday worship program at Connections.

Over January we praise the God who reigns over all and recognise that he is a gracious and loving God who provides for all and cares for all.

Jan 1        Psalm 145             God is with us from year to year
Jan 8        2 Kings 18, 19      God protects
Jan 15      2 Kings 20            God restores
Jan 22      2 Kings 21: 1-18   God is forgotten
Jan 29      2 Kings 23: 1-23   God is remembered

We will be encouraging the children to question:
How is the character of God as described in Psalm 145 seen in practice in the way he works in history?

Furthermore:
How will this affect our relationship with God and what do we want to see happen in the lives of others?

The third sermon in our Summer series, looking at Romans 10.

“How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”

We are both the senders and the sent, called as a community and as individuals on mission.

Are you confronting this call and asking God where He wants you to go?

Church on Mission 3 by Joshua Skeat, January 15, 2012.

The second sermon in our Summer series, looking at Ephesians 5. Specifically, the mission that we are all called to be on as Christ’s disciples:

“For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light.”

When being a disciple makes a difference in you, what doors open up for you to share the light of Christ with others?

Church on Mission 2 by Joshua Skeat, 8th January, 2012

A sermon about Church and our mission as the body of Christ.

Will you be a disciple or just a follower?

Church on Mission 1 by Joshua Skeat, January 1, 2012

Two sermons based on Luke delivered over the Christmas period.

Luke 1 – the songs of Mary and Zechariah
by Jonathan Adamczewski, from December 18, 2011

Luke 2 – Jesus’ birth and the prayer of Simeon
by Joshua Skeat, from December 25, 2011

The second part of this series, comprising four teaching sessions, examining Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians.

2 Corinthians 5:11-6:2 by Joshua Skeat, November 20, 2011

2 Corinthians 6:3-7:1 by Joshua Skeat, November 27, 2011

2 Corinthians 7:2-16 by Joshua Skeat, December 4, 2011

2 Corinthians 8 – 9  by Joshua Skeat, December 11, 2011
(A teaching session focussing on Money)

The first six teaching sessions from a series looking at Jesus as revealed through the gospel of John.

John 1:1-18 by Jonathan Adamczewski, September 25, 2011

John 1:19-51 by Joshua Skeat, October 2, 2011

John 2 by Joshua Skeat, October 9, 2011

John 3:1-21 by Joshua Skeat, October 16, 2011

John 3:22-36 by Joshua Skeat, October 23, 2011

John 4:1-42 by Joshua Skeat, October 30, 2011

Throughout this Summer we are shaping our teaching time around the concept of Church on Mission. We will be specifically focussed on what it means for us to be the church, and how God is calling us as individuals and as a community to be his ambassadors in the world.

Church in this context is bigger than just what happens each Sunday, and it’s not about the building that we are meeting in. The church here is the bride of Christ, the people that he purchased with his own blood. It is US.

And in the end it is what we, both individually, and as a collective unit, are doing every day, that will determine what the mission of Connections looks like.

Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.”  John 20:21

So we will be honestly be asking ourselves the questions:

Are we being sent as he was sent?
How are we faithfully completing the mission that Jesus sent us on?

Throughout the Summer we will be inviting people to share their testimonies – real stories, of real people, following God’s call on their life, and seeing him at work in the lives of people around them. If you have a story to share, please make contact with Joshua.

We will also use this Summer as a launchpad for 2012 and beyond as we determine the opportunities that we can grasp hold of as we continue to proclaim the Kingdom of God in the community of Somerset.

KLT (Kids’ Learning Time) currently offers activities which cater for primary and pre-school aged children as part of the regular Sunday worship program at Connections.

Our current series focuses on God’s power as seen through his prophet Elisha:

Oct 30 — 2 Kings 4:1-7 — Powerful provider
Nov 6 — 2 Kings 4:8-37 — Powerful life-giver
Nov 13 — 2 Kings 5 — Powerful healer
Nov 20 — 2 Kings 6:8-23 — Powerful warrior

We encourage the children in KLT to consider:
God is a powerful God,
and at the same time,
God is loving and cares about the details of our lives and things that matter to us.

The first five teaching sessions from a series examining Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians.

2 Corinthians 1 by Joshua Skeat, August 21, 2011

2 Corinthians 2:1 — 11 by Joshua Skeat, August 28, 2011

2 Corinthians 2:12 — 3:18 by Joshua Skeat, September 4, 2011

2 Corinthians 4:1 — 12 by Joshua Skeat, September 11, 2011

 2 Corinthians 4:13 — 18 by Joshua Skeat, September 18, 2011

The final three sermons from the “Kings & Prophets — Between the Exiles” series.

Jeremiah Chapter 29 by Joshua Skeat, July 31, 2011

Lamentations by Joshua Skeat, August 7, 2011

Exilic Psalms by David Owens, August 14, 2011

Will Briggs’ final sermon as Connections Minister was on the topic of worship, starting from some consideration of the Westminster Shorter Catechism.

Worship by Will Briggs, July 24, 2011

A sermon looking at the entire Bible, particularly looking at two of the 39 Articles of Religion:

VI. Of the Sufficiency of the holy Scriptures for salvation.

VII. Of the Old Testament.

Article VI & VII by Joshua Skeat, July 17, 2011

Three more sermons from a series looking at “Kings & Prophets — Between the Exiles”

Zedekiah by Will Briggs, June 26, 2011

Habakkuk by Joshua Skeat, July 3, 2011

Obadiah by Will Briggs, July 10, 2011

Two sermons looking at the book of Acts — the first giving an overview of the book and examining its place in the Bible, and the second from Pentecost Sunday.

Acts 1 by David Owens, June 5, 2011

Acts 2 by Will Briggs, June 12, 2011

The first five sermons from a series looking at “Kings & Prophets — Between the Exiles”

Ahaz by Joshua Skeat, May 1, 2011

Hezekiah by Will Briggs, May 8, 2011

Manasseh by Joshua Skeat, May 15, 2011

Josiah by Will Briggs, May 22, 2011

Zephaniah by Joshua Skeat, May 29, 2011

Two topical sermons, examining the biblical significance attributed to blood and water. The teaching coincided with the occasion of three baptisms (Water) and Resurrection Sunday (Blood).

Water by Will Briggs, February 20, 2011.

Blood by Will Briggs, April 24, 2011.

Two sermons from the book of Joel.

Part 1 by Will Briggs, April 10, 2011.

Part 2 by David Owens, April 17, 2011.

As opportunities have arisen throughout 2011 we have focussed our teaching on the 39 Articles of Religion, engaging with these statements that have historically been a foundation of the Anglican Church.

On April 9, 2011, Connections Minister Joshua Skeat was ordained as a Priest in the Anglican Church. Leading up to this event, teaching was provided on the history and tradition of ordination in the Anglican Church.

Article XXIII: Of Ministering in the Congregation
by Will Briggs, March 13, 2011.

The final sermon in Connections’ Interrogate a preacher series from March 6, 2011 was the following one by Joshua Skeat:

Why are there so many names for God?
Why does God refer to himself in different ways?
I understand Jesus as the bit of God that became Human, and God who created and the Holy Spirit — can you explain the trinity?

Teaching in subsequent weeks looked in more depth at the three members of the Trinity:

Father
by Jonathan Adamczewski, March 20, 2011

Son
by Will Briggs, March 27, 2011

Holy Spirit
by Joshua Skeat, April 3, 2011

KLT (Kids’ Learning Time) is Connections’ ministry for kids offered as part of our regular Sunday worship. We are currently offering activities which cater for primary school and pre-school aged children.

Our KLT programme follows Scripture Union’s Bible-focused Light material which encourages a personal relationship with Christ as well as an understanding of the Bible and the Christian faith, and a life lived for God as light in our world.

Over the next four weeks the KLT programme will have as focus: Jesus, the friend.
Oct 2      John 3: 1-21          Fresh Start
Oct 9      John 4: 3-42          No secrets
Oct 16    John 4: 43-54        Healing World
Oct 23    John 5: 1-18          Helping Hand

Wednesday 24^th Aug 2011

@ The Eaton’s

5 Hambledon Avenue, Burnie 

7:30 pm Dessert and tea / coffee

8:00 pm Planning meeting

Please join us as we plan for the future of our KLT program and the building of a supportive and supported KLT team.

Topics for discussion on 24th Aug:

• Behaviour management
• Rostering and resourcing KLT groups

Contact Heather 6431 8539 for more information

Teaching from our Summer 2011 series.

What are pastors (ministers deacons etc) paid to do all week? I realise they preach on Sundays and need to prepare for this, (but this is sometimes done by other people) so what else is their job description? Just curious, not an attack in any way.

by Joshua Skeat, from January 9, 2011.

We keep getting told in the bible not to do all this fun sin, otherwise we won’t get in to heaven – what do we know about heaven that makes us think it’s so good anyway? What’s heaven really like?

by Jonathan Adamczewski, from January 16, 2011.

1. What is spiritual abuse and how can it be demonstrated in the church by pastors and members?
2. What are the traits of spiritually unsafe people (similar to 1st)?
3. How can mental illness affect the outworking of charismatic gifts?

by Will Briggs, from January 23, 2011.

Please tell me things about the Grace of God and its importance in the New Testament.
Can you explain how God’s grace is outworked in our daily lives – particularly in our relationships with others?

by Joel Kettleton, from January 30, 2011.

Questions from the kids:

Why does church go so long?
How did God get alive?
Why did God make people?
How would I explain God to my friends?
Why do you wear robes when you get ordained?
Why do we have to go to church?
What does God look like?

by Kate Boughton, from February 13, 2011.

How should a Christian react/respond to the recent painting depicting the substitution of people (disciples of Christ) for Tassie Devils? The artist wanted to highlight the plight of the cancerous growth devastating the Tassie Devils. Are Christians ‘open game’ (compared to other faiths)?

by David Owens, from February 27, 2011.

Why are there so many names for God?
Why does God refer to himself in different ways?
I understand Jesus as the bit of God that became Human, and God who created and the Holy Spirit — can you explain the trinity?

by Joshua Skeat, from March 6, 2011.

Connections has always had at its heart a desire to build a Christ-centered and authentic community. On Saturday, we saw some of the fruit of that community in action as a we spent the day in glorious Winter sunshine blitzing the Briggs’ family backyard to bless them as they prepare to move to Hobart in the very near future. It was a thoroughly enjoyable day, as these photos show, with a wide selection of our community from the very smallest to the biggest helping out in various ways.

The incarnation in the Gospel of Luke
by Joshua Skeat, from December 25, 2010

The incarnation in the Gospel of Matthew
by Joshua Skeat, from December 26, 2010

The incarnation in the Gospel of John
by Will Briggs, from January 2, 2011

We are excited this week to be able to access the new Somerset primary gymnasium for the first time.  Over the past two months, we have been meeting at Cam Rise Uniting church, and have enjoyed the challenges and opportunities that meeting in the afternoon have presented. During this time, we have particularly enjoyed the opportunity to share an evening meal after each of the gathering and have been greatly blessed by a number of people in our community who have cooked meals for us during this time. Let me take this opportunity to say a big thank you to all who cooked, served, cleaned up and organised in the kitchen during this time, your love, generosity and service has been very much appreciated.

With our move to the gymnasium we are returning to our regular Sunday morning timeslot, this means that our gathering arrangements will be as follows:

Connections Sunday Gathering
10am @ Somerset Primary School, Beaufort St.
(directions can be found here)

There are a couple of important things to note with regard to the gymnasium. The first is that we have been requested to not have any dirty shoes on while inside at all – this includes both carpeted and non-carpeted areas. This means that there is a possibility that you may need to take your shoes off before you enter on Sunday. It may be a good idea to bring a pair of slippers to put on to keep your feet warm, or at least wear some extra socks. The second related point is that the gymnasium is a  colder environment than we have been used to meeting in and the heating options are uncertain at this point in time. We strongly recommend dressing warmly.

Other arrangements that are important to note:

• Pre-gathering prayer: 8:30am @ the school
• Music practice: 9:00am @ the school

While in many ways this is a return to an old venue – we have previously met in the gymnasium when it was West Somerset Primary – renovations mean that this will be a new experience for us. As a result, our first setup in the gym is likely to involve a number of arrangements and re-arrangements as we try to manage the space the best we can and a small team of us will play around with various options on Saturday afternoon. Our regular setup time will be on Saturday evenings, starting Saturday 23rd July.

Please pray for us as we transition to this new venue, particularly as the little bugs and kinks are worked out. Pray that the return to the school will be a blessing for both us and the school and that it would present us with opportunities to reach out to the community in Somerset.

In 2008, Connections presented a six week teaching series with the title “Money, Sex & Power”, one sermon on each topic followed by a sermon that addressed specific questions that had been asked about the topic.

You can read Will’s comments on the series in this post from August 2008. The three teaching sermons are available here:

Power — July 27, 2008

Money  — August 10, 2008

Sex — August 24, 2008